JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Hundreds of Northeast Florida residents embraced the (relative) cold Monday morning for the annual Jan. 1 “polar plunge” in Jacksonville Beach.
PHOTOS: For photos from the polar plunge, check out the gallery above.
The plunge, organized by the TriMadness Endurance Team and the Wave Masters, began at 9 a.m.
“We wanted to ring in the new year after partying real hard last night with the family,” participant Micahel Garcia said.
It felt like 44 degrees at the beaches this morning, and the water temperature was about 59 degrees -- which took the “polar” out of the plunge a bit, but plenty of folks were still out for the fun.
“Surprisingly enough it wasn’t that bad. I was expecting, you know, getting your feet in the sand is freezing,” said Carl Campbell, a friend of Garcia who also took the plunge Monday.
Their other friend Zac Holzapfel disagreed.
“It was freezing. It was real cold. I don’t know what they’re talking about,” he said, shaking his head and laughing.
The event was supposed to take place at the Seawalk Pavilion, but police activity on the beach pushed it a block south to behind the Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville Beachfront hotel.